New Faces, Full Tables, and a Game Everyone Loves at Whole Way House

December 6, 2025 was a busy and meaningful day for the Volunteer Wave community. After one group of volunteers spent the morning packing and gift-wrapping over 60 Boxes of Hope for Whole Way House senior homes, a second, smaller group headed over to Veterans Manor in the afternoon to help run Saturday Bingo with residents.

Our volunteer group included individuals who grew up in countries such as Romania and China, where bingo wasn’t a familiar classroom game. For them, learning how to play on the spot was both a fun challenge and a cultural learning experience. Meanwhile, volunteers who had played bingo before were surprised to realize that this game—so familiar to them because they played it a lot in elementary school—was completely new to others. In the end, the learning curve became part of the joy, and the bingo experience was just as entertaining for volunteers as it was for the residents. In fact, even Canadian-raised volunteers learned something new. Did you know that there are different bingo patterns that can be played? Many volunteers were used to winning by completing a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line, but we quickly discovered other patterns to work toward—such as frames, letter shapes, picture shapes, and full house (blackout) boards. Our volunteers helped residents find numbers on their board and reminded them to call out "bingo!" to get their win recognized.

The residents, many of whom were veterans, took their bingo very seriously. They stayed focused on the game, chatting only briefly between number calls or to ask for more cookies and coffee—kindly served by our volunteers. Even residents sitting at the back of the room, multitasking with crossword puzzles or newspapers, remained fully engaged. Each bingo win was met with cheers, smiles, and shared excitement throughout the room.

Prizes included food items such as spaghetti, cookies, goodie bags of candy, juice boxes, and protein drinks—small but meaningful additions to help supplement residents’ regular meals. Between games, volunteers and residents shared rich conversations, ranging from travel stories and wartime experiences to reflections on marriage, family, and life lessons. Volunteers noted that these were conversations they don’t often get to experience; these were moments of genuine connection rooted in listening and presence with people from different generations.

As the event wrapped up, residents lingered to share their appreciation. Many mentioned how kind it was to see new faces in their building and how helpful it was to have volunteers topping up coffee and passing out cookies so they could focus on the game. One resident shared that when volunteers are present, more residents come down to participate—normally around five people attend bingo, but with volunteers, the room fills with closer to fifteen. When volunteers show up, Saturday bingo becomes a special occasion.

The gratitude flowed both ways. Residents were thankful for the time and care, and our volunteers felt equally grateful for the opportunity to spend meaningful time together. Before leaving, we made plans to return—and we’re excited to visit again in late January 2026.

If this sounds like a Volunteer Wave opportunity that resonates with you, check out Bloomerang to sign up and join the Volunteer Wave community. We’d love to have you volunteer at our next visit!